9 May 2010

To all the Mothers and all the special women in your life I wish you all a Happy Mothers Day!!!!! Today is the day when we thank you all and recognize how you have shaped our lives. It is not just a Hallmark holiday but a time to rejoice in all that we hold dear and truly celebrate how important and significant you really are in our lives. I just got off the phone with my own mom who lives on the other side of the country, with the rest of my family. It always leaves a warm and fuzzy glow whenever I talk to her. I think that Mary over at One Perfect Bite sums it up best when she says, " I have, all my life, had the good fortune to find myself in the company of warm and generous women. Today, my thoughts embrace them all in a haze that glows more golden as it's burnished by time."

Old Vine's Restaurant - Quails Gate Winery

L'il Burnt Toast and I celebrated early this year. She was here for a few days in between university semesters. For the past 10 days it has been the Spring Wine Festival here in the Okanagan so what better way to combine two events in one. We had a delicious luncheon at Old Vine's Restaurant at Quail's Gate Winery. The winery's restaurant offers a place to relax, savour wine and fine cuisine and take in the magnificent views of lush vineyards and Lake Okanagan. It is a meeting place of fresh local ingredients with a selection of dishes that enhances the light, fresh and fruitful, rich style of Quails' Gate wines. The menu is constantly evolving as a reflection of a focus on serving the best and freshest of the valley's local artisans and west coast markets. For many consecutive years the restaurant has been honoured to be chosen as one of the top 5 restaurants in the valley.

Willowdale Farms Asparagus Soup

They had a set menu for the wine festival that we decided to go with beginning with the Willowdale Farms Asparagus Soup with a Harvest Moon cheese crostini pictured above and paired with a Chenin Blanc.

Pacific Ling Cod with Coconut Curry Sauce

Next we chose the Roasted Fillet of Pacific Ling Cod with leek pomme puree and roasted asparagus, coconut curry sauce, enoki mushrooms and cilantro slaw which was paired with a 2009 Gewurztraminer.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Preserved Berry Compote

And for dessert...... the piece de resistance...Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Preserved Berry Compote which was paired with a 2008 Optima.

As one of Canada’s foremost family owned and operated estate wine producers, Quails’ Gate is internationally recognized as a top quality producer of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Quails’ Gate wines are premium and terroir focused. The entire portfolio of Quails’ Gate wines is consistently endorsed by wine experts as one of Canada’s most outstanding. The Quails’ Gate onsite experience is most relaxing and welcoming.

In honour of the special women in my life I decided to make a version of strawberry shortcake based on a recipe I found on-line from Heidi Cusick. As mentioned above Chardonnay is a wine that Quail's Gate excels in so what could be better than to add it to both the seasonal fruit as well as the cake batter itself.

So to my two special ladies I offer you this special treat!!! Happy Mothers' Day to us all!!!

Mom Hiking in the Lake District, England

__________________________________The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.....Rajneesh___________________________________

NOTE: One bakers tip I learned on the Food Network is to add 1 - 2 teaspoons or tablespoons (depending on the amount you are whipping) of dried milk powder to your whipped cream during whipping. It will last for days without weeping or falling.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour tow 9-inch cake pans.

For the topping: In a large shallow dish, whisk together the sugar, wine, orange or lemon extract or zest, and vanilla extract. Add the strawberries and toss to coat. Cover and chill 1 hour to allow the flavours to marry. Stir occasionally.

For the Cake: In a bowl, combine the milk, canola oil, wine, orange or lemon extract or zest, and egg yolks and beat until smooth. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add 1/2 cup of the sugar and beat until the egg whites are stiff and glossy.

In a large bowl, stir together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, flour baking powder, and salt. Pour half of the milk mixture into the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Carefully fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites, taking care not to deflate them by over mixing.

Divide the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes (depending on your elevation), or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is a light golden brown. Turn out the cakes onto wine racks and cool completely.

Strain the liquid from the strawberries. Top with half of the strawberries. Place the remaining cake layer on top. Top with the remaining strawberries. Spoon the whipped cream over and serve.

Serves 6 - 8

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

Oh Val!! I am so glad you liked that quote- it is a favorite of mine. Your girl is gorgeous and it looks like you had a spectacular week. I'm drooling over that cod! Honestly, I love visiting here!xoxo Pattie

What a gorgeous day spent with your daughter. Wonderful. I didn't know you were in the Okanagan! I thought you were in Vancouver. Half of Alberta has a second home in the Kelowna area... most of my friends. But, not us. With Vanja's family in Europe, that keeps us there in the summer - or a month a year, anyway. You like in paradise! My dearest friend owns a home in Predator and I love when I visit and we go for a drive through the gardens of Eden in the area... what a wonderful place to live and to garden. You must garden, then, don't you?Happy Mother's Day, Val!OXValerie

That looks so good! What a lovely cake to give to mom. I live so far away from my mom (I live in Holland my mom in Greece) unfortunately I couldn't bake something for her. You know how that feels since I read you two live far away too. Magda

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 9 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.